No yapping today for I'm super tired right now.
So, here's an image of realistic Yuji, of how I would like him to look like in this story. (I used ChatGPT)
PIC (Just ignore the scar):
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Thought of the day:
"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts."
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Attendance Please:
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THE HOME OF BROGGY THE GIANT—
After introducing himself as Broggy, the warrior of Elbaf, the friendly giant scooped up an excited Yuji, a nervous Usopp, and a terrified Nami. He carried them to his makeshift home, a clearing where massive bones from ancient beasts were tied together with vines as thick as ship ropes to form a shelter.
"Gabababababa… Eat, eat, my little friends… eat as much as you want."
He set down a cooked dinosaur leg onto a broad leaf the size of a dinner table and pushed it toward the trio. Steam still rose from the charred hide, and the marrow sizzled faintly where the bone had cracked open from the heat.
Yuji stared at the mountain of meat before him and rubbed the back of his neck. "Uhh… I've never tasted dinosaur meat before, so uhh…"
Broggy blinked. "Oh… I see. Don't worry, my little friend. It might look like a lot, but believe me," he leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a whisper, "it is very delicious. The secret is letting the fat cook slowly over volcanic stone."
Yuji and Usopp exchanged glances, then shrugged. They tore small pieces of the meat and put them in their mouths. For half a second, nothing happened. Then their eyes flew wide open in shock.
The sniper looked up at Broggy. "It's… it's incredible!"
"GABABABABABABA… told you so." The giant's laugh echoed through the clearing like distant thunder. His gaze then shifted to Nami, who was clutching Yuji's sleeve so tightly that her knuckles had turned white. Her eyes were fixed firmly on the ground. "Hmmm… why aren't you eating, little miss? Is something wrong?"
Nami's body froze at the sound of Broggy's booming voice. Every muscle tensed, the instinctive freeze of prey caught in the shadow of something enormous.
Yuji sighed, glancing at Nami's pale face. He reached over and gently rested a hand on her head. "She's really scared of you," he said simply. "She's never seen a giant before."
"Is that so?" Broggy asked. Then, with surprising gentleness, he shifted backward, not much, just enough to make himself appear smaller in her field of vision. His voice softened when he spoke again. "It's okay, little miss. I understand how you feel, and I don't blame you. We giants are feared by most people in the world. I mean, just look at how big I am." He spread his hands, palms up. "For someone like you who has never seen a giant before, we might look like talking monsters."
He let out a long sigh and tilted his head back to gaze at the sky. When he spoke again, there was a weariness and age in his voice.
"But the truth is far from that. We, the giants of Elbaf, are followers of the Sun God Nika, the Warrior of Liberation. We follow in his footsteps by being protectors and keepers of peace." His eyes, as he lowered them back to the trio, burned with a quiet fire. "Our mighty king, Harald, is one such example. He himself is an ancient giant, far larger and bigger than I or any other giant in our homeland, yet he has a heart of gold that is open to everyone in the world."
He paused. His massive shoulders slumped, and the sigh that escaped him seemed to come from deep within.
"And yet, we are feared by the world, just because of a few false rumors."
He shook his head slowly. However, when he looked back at the trio, his eyes blazed with a fierce intensity, something that refused to be extinguished.
"But I believe that a day will come when everyone in this world, whether human, giant, or any other race, can live together as one under the same sun."
He clenched his fist, and his knuckles cracked loudly, like stones grinding together deep underground.
"For this is what we're fighting for; this is what it truly means to be a warrior."
Silence settled over the clearing.
Yuji stared at the giant, his eyes unreadable. Usopp had stopped chewing, the meat forgotten in his hand. And Nami—
Nami looked away, her cheeks flushing with shame. She had judged someone solely based on their appearance, and now she felt the sting of that judgment like a splinter beneath her skin.
"I—I'm sorry…" she muttered so softly it barely stirred the air. But everyone heard her.
Broggy looked down at Nami, his face breaking into a smile so bright and genuine that it transformed him entirely. "It's okay, little miss. I was never angry with you." He leaned in slightly, and his next words came with the careful weight of a hard-learned lesson. "Forgiveness is what makes a true warrior. Knowing right from wrong, when to raise your weapon and when not to, this is something everyone in the world should carry within them. For there is too much hatred in this world." He tapped his chest, right over his heart, producing a deep thump. "Your single good deed can make a day better for others, and for yourself."
"A true warrior always sees beyond what is in front of him or her!"
Everyone turned to Usopp. He had risen to his feet without realizing it, his voice ringing out with a conviction that even surprised himself.
"Isn't that right, Mr. Broggy?"
"GABABABABABABA… Right you are, my little friend." Broggy nodded, his grin widening. "For being a warrior is not just about being strong, but also about being kind-hearted."
Usopp looked down at his hands. He thought of Kaya's smiling face. He recalled the anguished expressions of the innocent people falsely imprisoned by that bastard Nezumi. He remembered Nami's tear-streaked face when she had told him and the crew about Arlong's cruelty.
He clenched his fists tightly.
"To be a warrior is to protect."
He hadn't meant to say it aloud. The words had simply escaped, soft as a breath. But Broggy heard them, and the giant's smile softened into something almost fatherly.
"That is right, little one. To be a warrior is to protect, whether it is your dream, your loved ones, or the innocent." He paused, his expression growing serious as the lines on his face deepened. "But…" He looked down at Usopp with an intensity that pinned the sniper in place. "…you cannot save everyone in the world. The world is too vast to be protected by a single person. On your journey, you will encounter many who simply do not want to be saved, or who cannot be saved, for they are too far gone." His voice dropped, rough with old grief. "This is the harsh reality of the world we live in."
The trio fell silent. Broggy's words settled over them like a cold mist, and each sat quietly, turning them over in their minds.
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SOMEWHERE INSIDE THE FOREST—
Deep within the dense, prehistoric jungle of the Little Garden, a peculiar structure stood out against the wilderness: a house made entirely of wax.
Inside, four figures sat in a room where everything was crafted from the same seamless wax. Candlelight flickered from sconces, casting long, dancing shadows.
Two of the occupants were immediately recognizable: Mr. 5, whose fingers twitched nervously against his thigh, and Ms. Valentine, whose usual air of floating superiority had been thoroughly grounded. Across from them sat their superiors.
The man had to be addressed first, if only because his hair demanded it. It was sculpted, impossibly, absurdly, into the shape of a giant number 3 perched atop his head. He was average in height, frail in build, and wore glasses that caught the candlelight in unsettling flashes. His name was Mr. 3, and he regarded the two agents before him with the patient, thin-lipped expression of a predator deciding whether to strike.
Beside him sat a girl. At first glance, she might have been mistaken for a child, small, with large eyes and circles of blush painted on her cheeks like those of a porcelain doll. Her dark red hair was tied in neat twin braids. However, there was nothing childlike in the flat, dispassionate way she observed Mr. 5 and Ms. Valentine. She held her teacup with the stillness of a painted portrait, and her name was Ms. Goldenweek.
Both of them sipped their tea in perfect synchronization while Mr. 5 and Ms. Valentine perspired nervously.
"So," Mr. 3 spoke at last, his voice measured and almost pleasant, "let me get this straight." He set his teacup down on the waxed table with a soft click. "You two were at Whiskey Peak. You were ready to eliminate the Alabasta princess and her guard. And then—" He removed his glasses and began cleaning them with a handkerchief, a gesture that somehow felt more threatening than a raised weapon, "—all of a sudden, you two were ambushed by someone, knocked unconscious, tied up, and thrown like trash inside one of the buildings there. Am I getting it right?"
Ms. Valentine swallowed hard; the sound was audible in the quiet room. "L-Look, Mr. 3, I know this sounds ridiculous—"
"Oh, it does," Mr. 3 agreed pleasantly.
"—but it really is what actually happened."
Mr. 3 finished cleaning his glasses and replaced them, the candlelight flaring across the lenses and momentarily obscuring his eyes. "Two of the top agents of Baroque Works, easily ambushed and laid out as if they were mere background characters…" He shook his head slowly, the number 3 swaying with the motion. "It is simply so disappointing. I wonder what Mr. 0 will say about this."
At the mention of that name, Mr. 0, both Mr. 5 and Ms. Valentine stiffened as if electrocuted. The temperature in the room seemed to drop by several degrees.
"We should just kill these two," said Ms. Goldenweek flatly and emotionlessly, as if she were suggesting they throw away wilted flowers. She didn't even look up from her tea.
Mr. 3 hummed, tapping a finger against his chin. "I think you're right, Ms. Goldenweek. We should definitely—"
"H—Hey, why don't we talk this out like normal people?" Mr. 5's hands shot up in surrender, his usual confidence nowhere to be found.
Mr. 3's eyebrows rose slightly. "Oh, and please tell me, Mr. 5… what else is there to discuss?"
"We can help you take down those two giants on this island," Ms. Valentine said hurriedly.
Silence.
Mr. 3 and Ms. Goldenweek looked at each other, their expressions perfectly blank. Then, slowly, Mr. 3's lips began to twitch. A chuckle escaped him, followed by another. Ms. Goldenweek's shoulders shook almost imperceptibly. And then the dam broke.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA—"
"HEHEHEHEHEHE—"
The laughter filled the wax house, bouncing off the pale, utterly cold walls. Mr. 5 and Ms. Valentine exchanged nervous glances, neither daring to move.
Then, as suddenly as it had begun, the laughter stopped. Mr. 3 wiped a fake tear from the corner of his eye, his expression snapping back to cold seriousness.
"Haaahhh… that was a nice joke you just made, Ms. Valentine," his voice flat. "But do you really think we need your help?"
"We have already planted explosives inside their alcohol barrels," Ms. Goldenweek said, her voice carrying the same calm as before. "Specially designed. When either giant takes even a single sip, the alcohol will explode inside their mouths, not enough to kill them, but more than enough to weaken them and cause internal bleeding. The blast will shred their throats from the inside." She took a small sip of her tea. "That is when Mr. 3 and I will make our final move."
Mr. 3 smiled, a thin and sharp expression crossing his face. He raised his teacup as if making a toast. "Fascinating, isn't it? With a little creativity, even the biggest mountain can be made to fall. The giants will fall, and their bounties—" His smile widened, "—will be ours."
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What the four Baroque Works agents didn't know was that two people were standing just outside, leaning against the outer wall of the wax house, listening to every single word.
Sanji exhaled a thin stream of smoke, the cigarette in his mouth glowing orange in the dim jungle light. His posture was relaxed, with one shoulder pressed against the waxy surface, but his visible eye remained sharp and cold.
Beside him, Zoro stood with his arms crossed over his chest. His expression was unreadable, but his fingers had drifted to rest on the wrapped hilt of Wado Ichimonji.
Zoro and Sanji exchanged glances.
They simply nodded, the understanding between them absolute.
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BACK AT BROGGY'S HOME—
"Say, Mister Broggy," Nami spoke up, her voice steadier now. The earlier fear had melted into something approaching genuine comfort. She even leaned forward slightly, her posture open and curious. "Can I ask you a question?"
Broggy chomped down on another massive portion of dinosaur meat, juices running down his beard, and looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Hmm… what is it, little miss?"
"On this island, how long does it take for a Log Pose to reset?"
"One year."
The answer came so casually that, for a moment, Nami didn't process it. Then her brain caught up.
"O—One year?!" She shot to her feet, her voice cracking with shock. "That's too long! We have to reach Alabasta as soon as possible to save Vivi's home!"
A warm hand settled gently on her shoulder.
"Have you forgotten about the Eternal Pose that Miss All Sunday gave us?" Yuji's voice was calm and steady.
Nami's eyes widened, then lit up. "Oh, yeah, you're right!" She turned to look at him, her smile bright and relieved. "It looks like you made the right choice by keeping it away from Luffy."
Before he could respond, the ground began to tremble.
A deep, guttural roar echoed across the island, followed by a rumble that vibrated through their feet. In the distance, beyond the tree line, a plume of ash and fire shot into the sky as the island's volcano erupted with primal fury.
Broggy was on his feet before the echo faded. His movement was sudden and fluid, the rise of a warrior who had answered this call more times than there were stars in the sky. His hand closed around the handle of his axe, a weapon easily half his size. His shield came up in the other hand, scarred and dented from a century of brutal use.
Usopp looked up at the giant, his earlier excitement now tempered by the gravity of the moment. "Mister Broggy… what is happening?"
Broggy smiled, a smile like that of a warrior catching the scent of battle: fierce, joyful, and utterly alive.
"This, my little friend, is a call for a duel." He gazed toward the distant volcano, its glow painting the horizon in shades of amber and red. "You see, there is another giant living on this island alongside me. And every time the volcano erupts, it is a signal, a signal for our sacred duel…" He turned to look down at them, and in his eyes burned something ancient and unbreakable. "A duel that has been going on for a hundred years."
Both Nami's and Usopp's eyes widened. A hundred years, the number echoed in their minds, vast and difficult to comprehend. Entire human lifetimes compressed into a single, ongoing battle.
"A—A hundred years?!" Usopp's voice cracked. "But… what could possibly be worth fighting for that long? What was the reason?"
Broggy looked down at Usopp, then grinned, a grin so wide and genuine that it carved new lines into his weathered face.
"The reason behind our duel…" He let the pause stretch, savoring it. "…is long forgotten!"
He laughed then, a booming, joyous sound that rolled across the clearing like a wave. Before any of them could respond, he reached down and scooped up Yuji, Nami, and Usopp as easily as a father gathering his children. He set them gently on the broad plateau of his shoulder.
"Come, let me show you how the warriors of Elbaf fight."
He began to walk. Each step covered several meters, the ground trembling beneath his weight. The jungle parted around him. Trees that would have taken the crew hours to navigate slipped past in seconds. Nami clutched the fabric of Broggy's tunic and looked down. The massive prehistoric plants now appeared no more than tall grasses from this incredible height.
"I get it now," she breathed, the realization settling over her. "Why this place is called the Little Garden…" She looked out at the sprawling jungle, the distant mountains, and the curve of the coastline just visible beyond the canopy. "Because from the perspective of a giant like Mister Broggy here… it is just a garden. A Little Garden."
"Well, damn!" Usopp exclaimed, grabbing a fold of fabric as Broggy navigated around a particularly massive tree. "I didn't think about that!"
They emerged into a vast open area at the center of the island, a scar of cleared earth where countless massive trees had once stood, now reduced to stumps and scattered debris from a century of earth-shaking combat. There, waiting for them, stood the other giant.
He was Broggy's equal in every dimension, towering, battle-scarred, and radiating the same primal warrior's aura. His beard was longer, and in his hands, he wielded a sword capable of splitting a ship in two with a single stroke. Yet his grin was just as wide, just as fierce, and just as alive.
"OI, YUJI… NAMI… USOPP…!!"
The familiar voice rang out from somewhere near the other giant's shoulder. The trio looked up, and there was Luffy perched on the giant's shoulder like a king surveying his kingdom, with Vivi beside him.
"Is that Luffy and Vivi?! HEY, LUFFY… VIVI!!!"
"GEGYAGYAGYAGYAGYA…!!" The other giant's laughter was deeper than Broggy's, resembling boulders tumbling down a mountain. "It looks like your friends found Broggy here, little man!"
"GABABABABABABA…!!" Broggy's hearty laugh echoed between them. "Looks like we both found some little friends to talk with, eh, Dorry?!"
The other giant, Dorry, smiled.
Then, with a gentleness that belied their enormous strength, both giants reached up and carefully lifted their little friends from their shoulders. They set them down on a nearby mountain cliff, a natural stone platform that offered a perfect, unobstructed view of the battlefield below.
Broggy and Dorry turned to face one another.
The air shifted, growing heavy and charged, as if the atmosphere itself sensed what was about to occur. The distant volcano still smoldered against the sky, its glow providing a fitting backdrop for the impending ritual.
They raised their weapons. The axe and sword caught the volcanic light, holding it like twin stars burning brightly.
"Let's give our little friends the show of their lives," Broggy called out. "What do you say, Dorry?"
"GEGYAGYAGYAGYA…!!" Dorry's laughter was pure, undiluted joy. "You took the words right out of my mouth, Broggy!"
Then Broggy raised his axe high above his head. Dorry followed, lifting his sword until its tip seemed to pierce the very sky.
And together, two voices, one roar, they shouted to the heavens.
"PRAISE THE SUN!!!"
They lunged at each other.
The duel between the two warriors of Elbaf has begun.
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Like the chapter, then please share your powerstones with me.
See you in next chapter...